Abstract
The advancement of wearable electronics requires flexible power sources with durable electrodes to withstand dynamic operational conditions. Among diverse materials for electrodes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) emerge as an ideal material due to their unique structure, high aspect ratio, and tunable surface chemistry, enabling versatile architectures from fibers to films and sponges. This review systematically examines CNT-based flexible electrodes for zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), highlighting recent breakthroughs in multifunctional wearable applications achieved through optimized CNT architectures. Key strategies in component engineering and structural design are discussed to enhance mechanical-electrochemical performance. Furthermore, critical correlations between material properties, electrode design, and practical applications are established. By providing methodological insights and technological roadmaps, this comprehensive analysis advances the development of CNT-based flexible electrodes for next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems. © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chinese Chemical Society 2025.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 2844-2862 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | Materials Chemistry Frontiers |
| Volume | 9 |
| Issue number | 19 |
| Online published | 12 Aug 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Oct 2025 |
Funding
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22305103), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2024M761186), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20230520), the Program for Jiangsu Specially-Appointed Professors (RC20240920), the General Program of Natural Science Foundation for Higher Education in Jiangsu Province (23KJB150006), and the Young Talent Support Fund from Jiangsu University. Q. Z. acknowledges the financial support from the City University of Hong Kong (7020148; 9239116; 9240189; 9380117; 9678403; 9680375; R-IND26401 and R-IND26402) and the Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM), Hong Kong, P. R. China.